Chapter 432
[ 535 words ]
Chapter 432:
While Caroline’s truck rumbled deeper into the ruins, back at the base, the first pale light of dawn was creeping over the horizon. Brenna O’Malley stirred, then sat up. She looked over at Caroline’s cot. It was empty. The blankets were cold. A knot of dread tightened in her stomach. She reached over and her fingers brushed against the folded note under her own pillow.
I’m sorry. I have to find him.
Brenna gasped, scrambling out of her sleeping bag. She burst out of the tent, her heart pounding, and ran through the waking camp, frantically searching for K.C. Bell.
She found him by the mess tent, overseeing the distribution of coffee and rations. The look on her face told him everything before she even spoke.
When she handed him the note, the blood drained from his face, leaving it a sickly, chalky white.
“Damn it,” he breathed, the words a curse and a prayer. The one thing the Colonel had ordered him to prevent had happened. On his watch.
And then a colder thought struck him, chilling him to the bone. She had known. She must have seen through his lie from the very beginning—watched him on the comms, watched him brief the soldiers, watched every move he’d made while thinking he was still containing her. And she’d said nothing. She’d waited, played along, and slipped away the moment his back was turned. The realization landed with the weight of dread: she knew the truth, and when the Colonel found out, K.C. would have to admit he hadn’t just failed to keep her safe—he’d never even seen her coming.
U𝘱da𝘁𝘦𝗌 𝗲𝘃𝖾𝗿y 𝘸ee𝗄 𝗼𝗇 𝗀𝘢𝘭ոo𝘷еl𝗌.𝗰o𝗆
Julian, drawn by the commotion, hurried over. He stared at Brenna’s panicked face, then at K.C.’s stricken expression, and his eyes narrowed. “What happened? What’s going on?”
Brenna thrust the note toward him, her hand trembling. “It’s Caroline. She’s gone. She went into the zone. Alone.”
Julian’s head snapped toward K.C., his face contorting with fury. “You did this! You drove her to it with your lies!”
K.C. didn’t meet Julian’s eyes. “It was the Colonel’s order. To keep her safe.”
“Safe?” Julian’s voice was a raw, incredulous bark. “She’s out there alone because you lied to her! What kind of protection is that?”
K.C. had no time to argue. He stalked away from them, already pulling out his radio. He keyed the secure channel, the one reserved for direct contact with Jarrod. Static hissed in his ear. He tried again. Nothing. The Colonel was deep in the zone, probably out of range or his equipment was damaged. He shoved the radio back into its holster, his jaw tight with frustration. He knew he was responsible. If anything happened to the Colonel’s wife, his career—and possibly his life—was over.
He spun on his heel and barked orders, calling for an immediate search and rescue team. He grabbed a rifle and a handful of his best men and jumped into a Humvee, tearing out of the base, heading down the road she must have taken.
Brenna watched the dust cloud from the Humvee settle, her arms wrapped around herself. Julian stood beside her, his anger still smoldering, but his voice was calmer now. “She’s stubborn,” he said, more to himself than to her. “She’ll survive.”
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